Torlief Knaphus

“In Gratitude I recognize that there has been a light greater than mine to guide me, and a hand stronger and richer than mine to guide and protect me.”

Torlief Knaphus

Torleif Knaphus was born in Vats, Rogaland, Norway on 14 December of 1881. His father was Lars Larsen. His mother was Liva Sakariassen Alfseike Knaphus.

As early as age 5, Torleif showed his creative side by carving birds and human heads from pieces of wood and also sketched scenes of nature as he watched over the family sheep.^[1]
Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009. Noticing her son’s interest in art, his mother purchased him a sketchbook, which he then began to fill with landscapes.

Torleif took out an apprenticeship at age 14 in a paint and decorating shop in Haugesund.

At 17 he went to sea for a year. The picturesque sunrises, sunsets, the night stars, and the Northern lights further convinced him of his love of all things beautiful,^[2]Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009. and upon returning home he completed his painting and decorating apprenticeship, earned his master’s slip, and opened his own shop.

Torleif traveled to Kristiania Norway (modern day Oslo) to further pursue formal studies in art at the age of 19.^[3] Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009. ] While there he studied at the Harriet Backer Art School in Oslo. He learned sculpting from Lars Utne, at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry, at the Académie Julian in Paris and the Art Students league in New York.

Laie Hawaii (1916-1918)

True to his hope, upon returning to the States, Torleif got his wish to work for the Church. Along with A.B. Wright, LeConte Stewart, J. Leo Fairbanks, and Avard Fairbanks, Torlief was hired to spend just over a year working on the Laie Hawaii Temple. ^[11]Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009. ^[12]Albright, Mark, “Torleif Knaphus-Norweigan Sculptor & Artist-1881-1965,” Godpellineart.org

He did some work on the interior and is credited with Helping Avard Fairbanks with the Baptismal font oxen, designed by the Temple architects Pope and Burton. ^[13]Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009.

Cardston Alberta (1920-1923)

He was next contracted by the Church to spend just over two years working on the Cardston Alberta Temple.^[14]Albright, Mark, “Torleif Knaphus-Norweigan Sculptor & Artist-1881-1965,” Godpellineart.org For this job he would sculpt the oxen in baptistery. He would later judge this to be his favorite font creation.^[15]Hartley, William G., “Torleif S. Knaphus, Sculptor Saint,” Ensign, July 1980 Later, once the Temple exterior was finished he returned to Cardston to sculpt a freize and fountain for the exterior entryway titled, “Christ the Fountainhead.” ^[16]Alder, Tom, “Alder’s Accounts, Torleif S. Knaphus,” 15 Bytes, Artists of Utah ezine, February 2009. ^[17]Albright, Mark, “Torleif Knaphus-Norweigan Sculptor & Artist-1881-1965,” Godpellineart.org^[18] Subject file, Alberta Temple, Church Hist. Dept. ^[19] Young Women’s Journal, Feb. 1928, p. 145.

The Freize remained part of the steps leading up to the temple doors until the 1992 remodel of the Temple. The expansion added a new entryway with waiting areas and bathrooms, and encompassed the frieze, incorporating it, and a new fountain, into the entryway of the temple. Copies of the frieze can be found in the waiting room at the meetinghouse Provo Utah Temple, on the exterior of the Edgehill Ward Building in Sugarhouse Utah, as well as Chapels in Tremonton, Belvedere, Rose Park, Yale, Las Vegas, and Wittier among others throughout the world.^[20]Albright, Mark, “Torleif Knaphus-Norweigan Sculptor & Artist-1881-1965,” Godpellineart.org^[21] Wikipedia, “Torlief Knaphus.”

Mesa Arizona (1925-1927)

For the Arizona Temple, Torlief spent two years sculpting for the Mesa Arizona temple. He sculpted the 12 oxen for the font, which were then baked in clay for a terra-cotta finish.

On the outside of the temple, Torleif sculpted 8 large terracotta friezes that run around the outside of the upper portion of the building. These friezes were formed first in plaster-of paris from sketches created by A. B. Wright. The plaster models were then cast in Terra-cotta by a firm in California.^[22]
Arizona Temple, Church Hist. Dept.; J. W. Lesueur, “The Arizona Temple,” Improvement Era, Oct. 1927, p. 1062. The 8 panels depict the gathering of Israel to the Rocky Mountains. Portrayed are French and Italian peasants, some in climbing togs after descending the Alps; a wife pleading with her husband to join her; people in Holland preparing to board ship; an Englishman, some Welsh and Irish, and a Scotsman arriving in America; various people in their national dress crossing the plains; and Mexicans, Spanish-Americans, Indians, and Polynesians traveling to Zion.^[23]Hartley, William G., “Torleif S. Knaphus, Sculptor Saint,” Ensign, July 1980